We are publishing in this
issue a report from the Tamil Nadu & Pondicherry State branch of the PUCL
about widespread violence in some 50 villages to terrorise the Dalit voters
so that they may not cast their vote. Houses were burnt, cattle were slaughtered,
polling booths were captured, many people were injured. Newspapers have reported
widespread terror tactics against the Dalits in many States during the ongoing
elections to the 13th Lok Sabha.

We are also publishing a
statement on a 291 page report released by the Human Rights Watch, a few months
ago, titled Broken people: Cast violence against India's untouchables.

There may be a State or
two where no serious incident took place. But this would be an exception. A
de facto disenfranchisement of the dalits is the only term that can be used
to describe poll violence against them. At one or two places the dalits successfully
organised protest against these terrorist methods, but generally it ends with
an ineffectual appeal to the Election Commission.

Newspapers are full of reports
for the past few days about Lalita Oraon, a maid who, till the other day, was
said to be in the employ of one Amrit Lugun, an Indian diplomat in Paris. It
is reported that this tribal girl from Bihar, was not paid any money. The facts
of the case are a matter of investigation. What is important is that the government
machinery seems to be busy denying anything and every thing being published
in French newspapers. It seems that the poor victim has to confront the might
of the GOI. One, she is a servant, and two, she is a tribal!

The least that the human
rights activist can do in this regard is that they relentlessly investigate
and expose such intimidation against the dalits whenever they come to know of
them. No doubt, as the protest and resistance grows, the intimidation will rise.
But then that is the only course the hands of the insensitive administration
can be forced. Enforcement of rights needs to be forced.

What is more important is
that we aim at bringing about a change in personal attitudes. The beginning
has to be made in the family. Our family structure is autocratic and undemocratic.
Women and children, amongst family members, have less rights. Servants are slaves.
Lalita Oraons can be treated as dirt the moment they enter the employ of an
urban upper class family. Individual and family attitudes perpetuate the traditions
as well as train the future generations. Fight for rights and equality should
not be confined to meetings and conferences. It should be rooted at home. It
is not so much a matter of speaking and writing about; it is more a matter of
practising.